Disposable beverage containers—which may be described herein as drinking cups or beverage cups—are ubiquitous for use in “on-the-go” consumption of liquids, particularly hot beverages such as coffee or tea. Disposable beverage cups often utilize a disposable lid to minimize splashing or spilling of the beverage from the container. Disposable lids most commonly used at this time provide a horizontally oriented drink opening on a top surface of a raised rim. Many of such designs allow a user to drink through the lid in a manner similar in many respects to drinking through a straw, or worse, in that it seems a limited amount of liquid is provided. Such shortcomings are exacerbated when vent openings are minimal or otherwise inadequately provided. Moreover, since such a drink opening is covered by the lips of the user while drinking, very little aroma from the beverage escapes to the user's nose.
Prior efforts to develop a disposable lid that would enable a user to drink naturally, as if drinking out of a cup or mug that does not have a lid thereon, have resulted in various undesired effects that have limited their utility. Thus, there remains a need to provide a lid design for a disposable beverage cup or container that is easy to use. It would be even more advantageous for such a lid to be provided in a disposable material. In would be additionally desirable if such a lid design were available that significantly enhances pleasurable drinking experience, in the manner of presentation of liquid to the user, and/or in the manner of providing aroma of the beverage to the user.